Ex-football players sue woman, college over fake rape claim

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — Two former Sacred Heart University football players have filed a lawsuit against the school and a fellow student who made false rape claims against them in 2016. Connecticut court records show…

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — Two former Sacred Heart University football players have filed a lawsuit against the school and a fellow student who made false rape claims against them in 2016.

Connecticut court records show Dhameer Bradley and Malik St. Hilaire sued Nikki Yovino, of South Setauket, New York, on Oct. 10 for alleged slander and infliction of emotional distress. They accuse the Fairfield school of wrongly suspending them.

Yovino was sentenced in August to a year in prison after pleading guilty to falsely reporting an incident and interfering with police.

Bradley and St. Hilaire are seeking an undisclosed amount of money. They told police they had consensual sex with Yovino at an off-campus party. Police say Yovino lied so she wouldn’t lose a potential boyfriend.